


Penelope Park is the Loophole

by PyroJoJo



Category: Legacies (TV 2018), The Magicians (TV)
Genre: F/F, Who knows what i come up with, we'll see where this goes i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-01-15 21:04:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18507052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PyroJoJo/pseuds/PyroJoJo
Summary: Penelope is hell bent on finding a cure for the Merge. She's not attending a witch only school in Belgium because her mom got a job. Her mom has been dead for two weeks. She's in Belgium so she can break into the one place that can help her find a cure to save at least one person that she loves. Penelope Park is running on heartbreak and desperation. She couldn't do anything about her mom's death but she'll be damned if she can't find a way to save the love of her life.





	1. Breaking into Brakebills

**Author's Note:**

> Quick warning before you start this fic. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING. Basically the plot is Penelope goes to Brakebills because it's the only place she knows that has the kind of magical knowledge that she can get to possibly find a cure for the merge. This is Penelope's journey after Ep 14 and she gets to brakebills at about s2-ish of The Magicians? Anyway it doesn't matter because I'm only using the characters and the world of the Magicians because their Magic System is so fucking fascinating. You don't have to watch The magicians to understand... hopefully.

Leaving behind Josie Saltzman was hard. Penelope knew it was going to be, but it’s always another thing to know and another thing to experience. Having anticipated the heartbreak that was to come from leaving behind the girl she’s still stupidly in love with still didn’t prepare her for the actual pain of having to see her Jojo cry.

Now she was sat in the middle of the woods on the verge of having a breakdown over her ex in the midst of figuring out how to get through an almost impenetrable set of magical wards.

Penelope took a shaky breath and tried to concentrate. She was going to find a cure to this merge crap if it’s the last thing she does. And she knows exactly where to start looking for a cure.

She finishes up an equation in her notebook and rereads everything she’s written.  This is it. She’s been camped out here for 5 hours. She’s sure that she’s got it right this time but she rereads everything again just to be sure. She only has one shot at breaking in because the moment she touches these wards the school will be informed of a breach. She has to get in before they can stop her.

She memorizes what’s written in the notebook and does a little spell to burn it into dust afterwards. All or nothing. If she fails she’ll have to start from scratch at another entryway that isn’t in fucking Belgium, but she can’t let anyone see her notes if she does fail because then they’d know how she broke in and that’s going to be another problem altogether so she’d really rather take these precautions to keep the element of surprise at her side if she’s ever going to need it again.  Penelope positions herself upright and puts her hands together in a prayer-like manner. She starts to chant in Latin and then Arabic, transitioning between the languages with a practiced ease. Her hands move in a series of gestures and movements that continually gain speed until the air is heavy with magic.

Her chanting gets louder and her hand movements gain momentum but remain as accurate as when she started. She’ll be damned if she fucks up because of something as elementary as hand movements.

The wards become visible in a blur of golden webs and numbers. Sweat was dripping down her face and she’s sure that her dress shirt is 80% moisture now.  A golden line appears more clearly than the rest of the lines in the web and it starts to waver in its form. Penelope chants the final words and the moment her hand falls back to a prayer position the wards cackle and disappear into the air.

Right before her eyes a school campus appears with students all over the place, lounging on benches, walking to buildings, fucking around with magic…

She laughs in utter relief and awe.

“I took down the motherfucking wards!”

She turns around, grabs her bag and walks straight into the campus with a confident stride. As she walks she does a quick spell to check on her personal wards, the ones that protect her brain from psychics and anyone else who can get in and fuck with her mind. Once she’s done that she fires off another spell that makes her look presentable. Penelope Park doesn’t look shabby. Ever. She shouldn’t be expending this much energy but hopefully her homebrew potion that replenishes her magical energy every time she uses it for the next 27 hours works.

She feels the spell take effect because her shirt is suddenly not sticky with sweat and as she licks her lips she can taste her usual candy flavored lip-gloss. She sighs at the taste because she hates the thing but she can’t shake the habit of using it. Josie loved the taste of it on her lips when they were dating and she’d never want to admit that she only ever used it because it got her Jojo to be extra affectionate so of course she continues to use it after she left her girl behind. Fuck.

She rolls her eyes at herself because now really isn’t the time. She checks the direction she came from and as she expected the wards were up again. Only a matter of time before the Dean finds her so she has to find his office first.

“Hey.” She calls to a random student who passed by her. The girl turns around and raises an eyebrow in question.

“Do you know where Dean Fogg’s office is?”

“Yeah it’s in the second building to your left.”

“Thanks.” She gives the girl a quick smile before she turns around and starts to follow the given directions.

“Y’know I’ll just take you there in case you get lost. You look like you’re new.” The girl walks beside her all curly hair and with a hands-in the-pockets-I-can’t-do-anything-about-somegthing-important-to-me-so-I-might-as-well-be-useful-somewhere-else vibe radiating off of her. And Penelope would really like to make friends when she actually starts going to school here for her education someday but right now she’s on a mission so she doesn’t bother to react and instead just keeps walking.

The other girl doesn’t seem to mind or care and when they walk through the building the girl leads her to a door and she goes in with an indifferent “thanks” thrown over her shoulder.

Penelope wastes no time and sits down on the comfy swiveling desk chair.

Halfway through the Dean’s research on Magical Bonds and Enchantments she hears the door open and looks up to see Dean Fogg.

“Since when did you start wearing sunglasses?” slips out of her mouth.

The man at the door sighs heavily before closing it.

“Penelope Park. We’re not supposed to be seeing you until next year when we recruit you into Brakebills ourselves.”

Penelope sets the research down on the table and takes her time to position herself, legs crossed, back relaxed on the seat and hands clasped together in a flair of dramatics.

“I got tired of waiting.” She gives him her signature smirk.

Before Dean Fogg could put in a word Penelope beats him to it.

“I need to find a cure for something only magic can fix.” Her hands fall to grip on the table because she needs this and she needs to be here and she just needs Fogg to let her be here.

“There’s this thing called The merge. It’s a curse on twins born in the Gemini coven. On their 22nd birthday the other one has to literally absorb the other. It’s powerful and has been going on for God knows how many years-” and Penelope didn’t plan on getting emotional but her voice cracks and she grips the table tighter and clenches her jaw. She glares at Dean Fogg and his stupid sunglasses and bald head and stoic expression.

“-and I _know_ that I can find a cure here. I just need the library. Call it advanced studies for when I eventually and _inevitably_ will become a student. ”

It’s silent for a while before Dean Fogg walks around the table and she has to turn the chair to face him when he finally stops in front of her.

She knows her defenses are crumbling and when he kneels in front of her, brows furrowed in concern, she can’t help the tear that slides down her face.

“Care to tell me what this is really about?”

Penelope lets her tears fall because there’s no point in holding it back anymore but she makes sure to convey her seriousness with her eyes when she stares back at the Dean.

“It means exactly what I say it is. Dean Fogg- I- I can’t lose any more people-” she’s sobbing now and Fogg is holding her like the day he did when her mom died. They had scattered her ashes and of course Fogg was the only one there with her. That was two weeks ago. Her dad was busy with his own family. She doesn’t blame him. Her mom was rarely around for anything. That’s why her and her dad never worked out.

It’s what happens when your mom is busy trying to save the world. Jane Chatwin wasn’t the best mom by a long shot but managing to see her daughter at least twice a month while she’s off saving the fate of magic or whatever she does was enough for Penelope. Besides, she taught her magic and that was one thing she can never thank her enough for.

Dean Fogg lets Penelope cry and dampen his crisp suit with her tears.

“You can use the library for research. We have our own crises at the moment so I won’t ask you too many questions about whatever this merge curse is. However, as a close friend of your mothers and someone who has grown to care about you just as much, please-”

He pulls away to look at her.

“Be careful.”

Penelope nods and wipes her tears away.

“I will. Thank you.”

The dean gives her a smile and gives her shoulders a squeeze before letting her go.

“You can stay at the cottage of the Physical kids while you’re doing whatever you need to do.”

 


	2. Blow the Door Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to The Cottage of the Physical Kids. It's tradition that you get locked out on your first day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo in the first chapter Penelope shouldn't have been surprised with Fogg wearing sunglasses cuz he was there at her mom's funeral. Sorry for that inconsistency. But anyway this is just set in the magicians verse and it doesn't have to follow their timeline or whatever (but i'll try to bc it's more organized that way) so i'm allowed to fuck up i think. Most of you don't know it anyway (i'm assuming).
> 
> This chapter we see another new character but, in my opinion, it's mostly uneventful. For the next Penelope will meet two of my faves for sure. We'll see how it goes and I hope I don't disappoint. Mind's a bit messy rn cuz it's late but I'm really sorry for the late update. I'll try to update regularly. Keyword: TRY. I might be able to update more if I make short chapters but then again, it's short so I probs won't do that cuz ya girl likes it long ;)

 

Dean Fogg escorted her out of his office with the full intent to take her to the Physical Kids’ cottage. When they stepped out Penelope saw the curly haired girl who gave her directions sitting on one of the benches outside the office, seemingly lost in thought.

“Ah, Kady. You’re here.” Dean Fogg notices and if his eyes weren’t covered in sunglasses Penelope thought she would have seen his eyes light up or at least whatever his eyes have been reduced to anyway. The curly haired girl snaps out of her daze and looks at them.

“Since you’re already here would you do me the favor of taking Penelope there? I was about to do it myself but you would do a better job at that since you must know where it’s been hidden.”

“What do you mean hidden?” slips out of Penelope’s mouth unintentionally, her filter a bit off from emotional exhaustion.

“Start of the sem prank. It’s just to mess with the new kids.” Kady says.

“Well I’ll leave you to it.” Fogg says and disappears back into his office.

Penelope raises an eyebrow at Kady.

“So by hidden you mean… veiled from sight? Invisible? Like an illusion?”

Kady chuckles at Penelope.

“No. I mean they moved the entire cottage to another spot on campus.”

Penelope looks at her a bit perplexed before putting on a too fake smile and gesturing for Kady to lead the way.

“Please, don’t keep me waiting.”

Kady clicks her tongue at Penelope’s attitude and starts walking with Penelope right beside her. They walk for a while across the gigantic campus without saying a word until Penelope decides to break the silence.

“Were you waiting for me outside the office? Because I know I’m hot but that’s really creepy.”

“I wasn’t.” Kady clenches her jaw. “I was just… I wasn’t focused and I didn’t know what to do.”

“So you decided to stalk me?”

Kady snickers at this.

“Wow you’re kind of obnoxious.”

“Don’t I know it.” Penelope says under her breath, not even caring if Kady hears or not, because the phantom feeling of Josie telling her that all her efforts are a waste start crawling back into her very soul. It felt cold. It felt like an almost. Penelope hates “almost.” It was the worst curse in the world to be on the verge of succeeding just to have all your hard work ripped out from under you. Next thing you know: you lost more than you ever bargained for.

“Hey. Snap out of it. We’re here.”

Penelope looks up and realizes that they’re in front of a big two story house with fairy lights randomly strewn on the roof and the windows. It was also getting dark now and that just added to the aesthetic of the whole setting. Penelope looks back at Kady who seems to be observing her with pursed lips.

“What were you thinking about?”

“None of your business really.”

“Fair enough. But just for the record since I don’t think you’ve heard anything I’ve said since a couple minutes ago, I wasn’t stalking you. I just happened to be in a crisis and it had absolutely nothing to do with you. I mean you seem like my type but I already have… someone.”

Kady pushes Penelope in the direction of the cottage before she could reply and makes her stand a few few feet away from the door.

“What are you doing? Aren’t we going inside?” Penelope asks in protest and starts to move towards the door.

“Stay there.” It catches Penelope off guard and she scoffs in disbelief. Nobody takes up that tone with Penelope Park. Who does she think she is? She’s in no position to demand anything from me like that.

Kady is already at the door when Penelope moves closer to her in a slightly menacing stride.

“You will not tell me what I can or cannot do.”

Kady gives her a tired smile before she opens the door.

“Alright princess whatever you say. Good luck on the initiation.”

Penelope’s face screws up in confusion.

“What initia-”

Kady, quick as a fox, gets inside the cottage and closes the door. Penelope stands there stunned and confused.

“Did you just slam a door to my face?”

Penelope steps forward and twists the knob to open it but it doesn’t budge. She groans and curses because she’s really tired and doesn’t have time for this. She doesn’t even bother with an unlocking spell, knowing that the door must be enchanted and is probably immune to spells that does the most obvious way of opening it. Penelope whispers a spell and does a gesture with her hand that looks like she just did a finger gun and the door flies off its hinges and explodes into the room, but turns to dust before it can hit anything.

Music plays on in the background and a bunch of people are all over the place, some covered in streamers and wearing party hats. Well it looks like she just crashed a party. A few people looked over at her because of the explosion but everyone else seemed too caught up in drugs and hormones to even hear anything else.

A tall guy with an actual crown on top of his wavy black locks opens his arms in a welcoming gesture. It wasn’t even a flimsy plastic crown. It was made of dark gems and stones that looked like they’d been sown together.

“Welcome to the cottage.” He does a little bow.

“I’m Eliot. High King of Fillory, but that’s a story for another time. I have a hunch that we’ll like you very much.” Eliot hands Penelope a cocktail and puts his arm around her to steer her into the direction of one of the many couches lying around the place, but Penelope stops him and ducks out of his arm before they could move any further.

“And I think I’m done with social interaction for today.” Penelope downs the cocktail and hands the glass back to Eliot whose brow was raised in mild intrigue.

“Suit yourself. You can take any of the free bedrooms upstairs after the 3rd or 4th on any side. Left or right, you pick blah blah blah. Don’t lie down on the bed without washing the sheets.”

Eliot gives her a wink before walking way and into the crowd. Penelope takes a quick look around kind of hoping to catch a glimpse of the curly haired girl so she can maybe hex her or something but gives up three seconds later.

Honestly, Penelope couldn’t be bothered with anyone at the moment so she swiftly goes up the stairs and looks for a bedroom, following Eliot’s instructions.

She opens an average looking room, painted in a plain sky blue color, with a nightstand on either side of the wooden bed. There’s a closet and a dresser, a trunk at the foot of the bed, a study table with bookshelves at the top and even a vanity table, all of which were empty.

She locks the door and puts up wards around the room. She doesn’t have time to do it properly but it’s not like she has to anyway. She’s just been jumpy ever since her mom died, paranoid about the Beast that killed her mom, and every other enemy she might have made in her life. She doesn’t know all the details, but right now it’s not a concern.

Penelope drops her bag beside the bed and does a quick cleaning spell for the bed before she starts to pull out sleeping clothes from her bag. She groans when she realizes that this bedroom doesn’t have a bathroom and decides that she can live without a shower for the night. She changes her clothes and wipes her face with some wet wipes.

Penelope jumps on the bed and turns off the lights with a flick of her wrists. Just because her magical energy won’t be depleted for more or less seventeen hours, from her calculations that's what's left of her initial twenty seven, doesn’t mean her body can’t be exhausted.

Penelope wriggles a bit, fighting back exhaustion to wrap a blanket around herself, and takes a pillow to hug for the night. Her muscles feel sore and the cool sheets feel like heaven on her skin. She burrows further into the pillows and sheets, sleep creeping up on her fast.

She doesn’t dream but what she wakes up to is a day that more than makes up for it.

 


End file.
